1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an air-conditioning apparatus in which a cooling heat exchanger is inclined so that air flows upwardly in the cooling heat exchanger from a lower side thereof.
2. Description of Related Art:
Conventionally, in an air-conditioning apparatus for a vehicle described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,107, an evaporator (i.e., cooling heat exchanger) is inclined and air flows through the evaporator upwardly from a lower side, to reduce a size of an air-conditioning unit. In the conventional apparatus, a plurality of drain guide members for draining condensed water generated on the evaporator are provided to approximately contact an outside surface of a core portion of the evaporator.
In the conventional air-conditioning apparatus, because air flows upwardly from below in the evaporator, condensed water does not directly drop with its own weight, but flows down along the surface of the evaporator and gathers at a lower end portion of the inclined evaporator. Thereafter, the condensed water is discharged to the outside of the vehicle through the outer surface of the drain guide member. In the conventional apparatus, the drain guide member is cross-shaped to rapidly drop of the condensed water from the lower end portion of the inclined evaporator.
However, because a plurality of drain guide members are arranged at spaces, air flowing upward hits the lower end portion of the inclined evaporator and condensed water on the lower end portion of inclined evaporator is blown upwardly with the flow of air. Therefore, the condensed water is blown off to deteriorate the drain performance of the condensed water. Further, because the drain guide members are located below the core portion, the flow of air passing through the evaporator is disturbed. Therefore, the quantity of air blown toward a passenger compartment is insufficient when a large quantity of air is needed during a hot summer season.